School of Deaths - Christopher Mannino

School of Deaths (The Scythe Wielder’s Secret #1)

(4 / 5)

I really enjoyed this YA fantasy. It was different than I was expecting.

Suzie is thrust from her life with her family and friends in the mortal world, and is forced to become a student in the school of deaths, a school that trains ‘grim reapers’ to harvest souls to take to the after life. There hasn’t been another female student in a million years, and Suzie is faced with sexism, ridicule and violence, and she is an outcast. Thankfully not everyone hates her, and with a few friends, Suzie must make her way through her first year to pass the end of year test so that she can return home…

The story was fun and interesting and even though it bore some resemblance to Harry Potter, it was still refreshingly original. I enjoyed Suzie’s character. I thought the way she experienced sexism and isolation was quite well written. She has a lot of inner strength which is appealing for me as a fan of strong female characters.

I liked the other characters, her friends and teachers and the “mentals”. There were a few good twists and turns throughout the book that I really enjoyed. And I appreciated the ending, leaving it ready for the next one.

It was easy to read and well written, and would absolutely appeal to a wide range of young readers. There were a few adult themes and some violence, I think the majority of YA fans will really enjoy it. I thought the romance was cute and lovely. Death itself is dealt with in an interesting way. I thought it was a really great concept having a school for deaths. And I really enjoyed Suzie learning her way through different aspects of her classes.

And YAY! No love triangles!!! WOOHOO!

Would I recommend School of Deaths?

Yes it was a fun, different yet familiar kind of YA read that I enjoyed. I am looking forward to reading the next one and seeing what is in store for Suzie!

Many thanks to author Christopher Mannino for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher Mannino’s life is best described as an unending creative outlet. He teaches high school theatre in Greenbelt, Maryland. In addition to his daily drama classes, he runs several after-school performance/production drama groups. He spends his summers writing and singing. Mannino holds a Master of Arts in Theatre Education from Catholic University, and has studied mythology and literature both in America and at Oxford University. His work with young people helped inspire him to write young adult fantasy, although it was his love of reading that truly brought his writing to life.

Mannino is currently working an adult science fiction novel, and editing the end of The Scythe Wielder’s Secret series.

If you enjoy The School of Deaths you may enjoy:

HOME

Categories: 4 StarsAdventureBook ReviewsFantasyYoung Adult

Mel

Hi my name is Mel. I'm from Sydney, Australia and I am a nurse and a mother of two. This blog is a collaboration of my thoughts about books! I couldn't keep track of the books i've read, so I started to review each one I read. I hope you enjoy and find a book you want to read! Let me know how you go! *I am a Book Depository affiliate and may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. All others are non-affiliate links.

1 Comment

Christopher Mannino · March 20, 2016 at 4:28 am

Thanks so much for reviewing and glad you enjoyed. In addition to my books, I’m currently running a giveaway for a chance to win a 50 dollar giftcard, an audiobook, or a signed paperback. Visit http://www.christophermannino.com/email-signup.html for more details.